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Yanks move Garcia to 'pen, Phelps to rotation

Yanks move Garcia to 'pen, Phelps to rotation

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David Phelps

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NEW YORK -- Freddy Garcia has been dispatched to the Yankees' bullpen, and rookie David Phelps will have an opportunity to pitch out of the club's rotation.

Garcia was battered by the Tigers for six runs in 1 2/3 innings on Saturday in a 7-5 Yankees loss, the second straight start Garcia only recorded five outs, and the change did not come as a shock to the hurler.

"When you're pitching [poorly] out of the rotation, what do you expect?" Garcia said. "When you don't do your job, what are they supposed to do? That's what happened. They're honest. I didn't pitch the way I was supposed to pitch. It's reality."

Garcia is 0-2 with a 12.51 ERA through four starts, allowing 25 hits and five walks in 13 2/3 innings. Garcia has pitched out of the bullpen just twice in 333 Major League games, though he did pitch an inning of relief last April in a game at Fenway Park.

"Sometimes you can go and try to find a way to fix things down in the bullpen," manager Joe Girardi said. "It happens for a lot of guys. So we'll put him down there as a long man, and we'll make sure he gets some work, and we'll try to get him back to where he wants to be."

The 35-year-old signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Yankees this winter after going 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA last season, and had obviously expected to be a starter.

"I'll be OK, man. I know," Garcia said. "I've been playing this game for a long time, and a lot of things happened to me before, and I always came off on the top. It's not going to be different. So, we'll see what happens."

Phelps, 25, has been solid as a long reliever this season, making the club after Michael Pineda suffered a shoulder injury late in camp. Phelps owns a 3.57 ERA through 17 2/3 innings of relief work, walking two and striking out 14 around 12 hits.

"I've said all along about David Phelps, I envision him as a starter," Girardi said. "I have not seen anything that tells me eventually he can't be a starter at this level. Time will tell as we move forward."

Phelps figures to make his first Major League start on Thursday against the Royals in Kansas City, and said that he has taken a lot from a month in which he has already faced the fearsome likes of Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder.

"It's great. Any time you're in consideration for a starting role on this team, it's a big deal," Phelps said. "With the quality arms we have on this team, I don't take it lightly."